Grading and ditching machine.



' No. 690,45I. Patented Ian. 7, I902.

' w. H. mom-mus.

GRADING AND DITCHING MACHINE.

' (Application filed Nov. 5, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet l.

' (No Model.)

Patented Ian. 7, I902.

No. 690,45l. W. H. MORE'NUS.

GRADING AND DITGHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Nov. 5, 19001) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shaet 2.

No. 690,45L

w. n. momzuus.

GRADING AND DITOHING MACHINE.

Patented Ian. '7, 1902.-

(Application filed Nov 5, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Shut 3.

(No Model.)

' album [0112mm as.

unnms Friars co. vnom-ufno, wAsHmnToM. o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM H. MORENUS, OF LAKEVIEVV, IOWA, ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK C. AUSTIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GRADING AND DlTCHlNG MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,451, dated January 7, 1902. Application filed November 5. 1900. Serial No. 35,522. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern: tion on a substantially central longitudinal Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. MORENUS, line through Fig. 2, the section-line forward a citizen of the United States, residing at of the bounds or draft-yoke beingirregularly Lakeview, in the county of Sac, State of Iowa, carried forward, so as to cut through the bolts. 5 have invented a certain new and useful Imby which one of the brace-bars is attached to provement in Grading and Ditching Mathe tongue or pole, it being observed that by chines, of which the following is a speciticathis mode ofillustration a multiplicity of more P tion. or less confusing section-lines is avoided and My invention relates to grading and ditchthe invention more clearly shown. Fig. 4 is a 1o ing machines, and more particularly to maview similar to Fig. 3, but shows an adjustchines of the general construction illustrated ment whereby the draft strain is transferred by Letters Patent of the United States No. from the tongue or pole to the forward bolster 275,614, dated April 10, 1883, and No. 636,506, and the draft-bar adjusted forward relatively dated November 7, 1899. a to the front bolster. Fig. 5 is a sectional de- I5 The more prominent objects of my inventail of a portion of Fig. 3 on a larger scale, tion are to relieve the forward bolster from the section being on a vertical plane through draft strain, especially when the plowis worka bearing-box fitted upon the front bolster. ingthrough hard soil, and to causethe tongue The grading and ditching machine illusor pole to take the draft strain or back pull trated in said drawings comprises, among 20 of the draft-bar which carries the plow; to proother matters not necessary to be herein devide a simple and efficient construction and scribed, a suitable body-frame A, with front arrangement of means for the attainment of and rearsupporting-wheels, a longitudinallythe foregoingmentioned result; to permit arranged plow-beam B,'pro vided with a plow the machine to turn or take a curved path C and preferably positioned at one side of the 25 while the plow is at work without causing unmachine, a combined balance and draft bar desirable movement of the draft bar and D, pivotally connected at one end portion plow as a result of laterally swinging the with any suitable part of or support upon the tongue or pole; to provide means whereby the body-frame and at its opposite end portion draft strain incident to the resistance of the attached to the plow-beam, and means such 3o plow can be applied either to the tongue or as described in said patents or other suitable pole or to the forward bolster at will, accordor desired means for raising and lowering the ing to the character of the work, and to perplow-beam. The machine further comprises mit the adjustmentof means employed for a cable or draft-chain E or equivalent articutransferring the draft strain to the forward lated draft connection, which is attached to 35 bolster to effect a forward adjustment of the the draft-bar, and a tongue or pole F, suitably draft-bar to which the plow is attached. connected with the forward bolster G.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is In a machine embodyingmy improvements a side elevation of a grading and ditching the draft-chain E, which is attached to the machine substantially involving the genhorizontally-swinging draft-bar, takes the 0 4o eral construction shown in said Letters Patdraft from the tongue or pole F, so that durent No. 275,614, but understood to be modiing operation, and particularly when the soil fied in accordance with my invention. Fig. is hard to plow, the draft strain incident to 2 is a top plan View, on a larger scale, of a the connection of the chain with the draft-bar portion of said machine, said view mainly will be taken by the tongue or pole, thereby 45 comprising the draft-bar, plow-beam, and a relieving the forward bolster and its adjuncts portion of the forward running-gear with a from such strain and liability to breakage. draft connection between the draft-bar and As a simple and effective connection bethe tongue or pole. Fig. 3 is a part section tween the draft-chain and the tongue or pole and part elevation of Fig. 2, the draft-bar, the latter is provided with a bar or plate H, IOC go forward bolster, axle, and forward portion of bolted to its under side and having its rear the hounds or draft-yoke being shown in secend extending back from the rear end of the tongue or pole and adapted to form a hook I, with which the chain can be connected. With such arrangement an upwardly-bent plate 1 is secured to the tongue or pole and arranged so that its rear portion shall overhang the rear portion of said tongue or pole and provide a bearing for a bolt 2, which also passes through a bearingplate 3, secured to the tongue orpole, and through the forward portion of the hounds or draft-yoke K, the plate II, and the plate 4, preferably secured to the under side of the tongue orpole between the latter and the plate H, as illustrated by dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 4, it being observed that the forward position of the draft-yoke K is clamped between said plates 3 and 4, and the hook I on the rear end of the plate H is also arranged so that the draft-line will be substantially through the longitudinal center of the tongue or pole. By this arrangement a compact and strong arrangement for connecting the draft-chain with the tongue or pole is obtained and liability to rupture under the great strains to which the parts are subjected will be avoided.

The transversely-arranged draft-bar D is arranged to have a suitable extent of horizontal swing, and hence when connected with the tongue or pole by the'chain E the back pull incident to the resistance of the ground to the plow will particularly be upon the tongue or pole.

As best illustrated in Fig. 5, the draft-chain comprises a rod 5, adapted to serve as a link in said chain and arranged to pass and work through an opening 6 in the front bolster and corresponding openings 7 formed through the front and rear sides of a bearing box or casting L, through which the forward bolster G and axle M are extended. This box or hearing G is also provided with rearwardly-extending portions 8, having bolt-holes,whereby connection can be made with the body-frame by means of a suitable king-bolt in any desired way, one of said bolt-holes being shown in Fig. 2. The forward portion of the rod 5 is threaded and screwed into a nut 10, forming a part of one of the chain-links, whereby the relative adjustment between said link and rod can be varied. The rod is also provided with a nut N, adapted for adjustment along the rod and arranged between the nut or link portion 10 and the forward bolster. When this adjustable nut or stop N is adjusted forwardly upon the rod, as in Fig. 5, the draft strain will be upon the tongue or pole; but by adjusting the nut or stop N rearwardly and swinging the draft-bar forwardly to an extent to cause the portion of the chain to drop slack when said nut or stop N bears against the front side of the box or bearing L, as in Fig. 4, the draft strain will be upon the forward bolster. If, however, it is now desired to set the draft-bar farther back, such can be accomplished by operating a double swivel-nut11,'arranged as one of the links of the chain.

What I claim as my invention isl. The combination in a grading and ditching machine ofawheel-supported body-frame; alongitudinally-disposed plow-beam provided with a suitable plow and arranged at one side of the machine; a transversely-arranged stay and draft-bar D attached to the plow-beam and hinge-connected with the wheel-supported body-frame; the forward bolster and a tongue or pole connected therewith; a draftchain or cable connecting the draft-bar with the tongue or pole;and means for positively securing such chain or cable to the middle portion of the forward bolster, or releasing it from such positive connection with the forward bolster, at will, whereby the draft can be transferred from the pole to the forward bolster or from the latter to the former.-

2. In a grading and ditching machine, the combination of a transversely-arranged draft and balance bar attached to the plow-beam and connected with a Wheeled body-frame; a draft-chain or cable adapted to connect the draft-bar with the tongue or pole and including a threaded rod; a nut or stop adjustable along said rod and adapted when adjusted in one direction to connect the chain or cable with the bolster so as to throw the draft strain thereon, and when adjusted in an opposite direction to relieve the bolster from such draft strain and permit the same to be taken by the tongue or pole, substantially as described.

3. A grading and ditching machine comprising a horizontally-swinging draft-bar connected with a longitudinally-arranged plowbeam; a draft-chain or cable arranged to connect the draft-bar with the tongue or pole and including as one of its links a threaded rod; a front bolster and box or bearing thereon having guide-openings for the said rod; and a nut or stop applied for adjustment along said rod and arranged forward of the front bolster, whereby, by adjusting the nut or stop forward, the draft strain will be on the tongue or pole, and by adjusting said nut or stop rearwardly, the draft strain will be taken by the front bolster, substantially as described.

4. In a grading and ditching machine, the tongue or pole attached to the hounds or a draft-yoke; a chain or cable connecting the tongue or pole with a transversely-arranged draft-bar attached to a longitudinally-arranged plow-beam; and the front bolster and a box or bearing thereon provided with a guideway for a portion of the chain or cable.

WILLIAM H. MORENUS.

Witnesses:

CHARLES G. PAGE, ARTHUR G. OLSEN. 

